Nest brings smart homes to New Zealand

Smart homes have long lived solely in the realm of science-fiction, being either too costly or complicated for most people to really take advantage of. This all changes with Nest, a company focused on easy-to-use, intelligent smart home products.

Given the company has just launched in New Zealand, now is the perfect time to learn more about how the company's smart home tech works.

The home of the future, now

Nest was started by an ex-Apple engineer who was frustrated with the thermostat options available when building his smart home. Together with a partner, he created a new smart thermostat capable of intelligently managing temperature and being controlled via smart phone.

The company has continued to create smart home products, including cameras, cheaper thermostats and a powerful new home security system. Now owned by Google's parent company Alphabet, Nest has the resources it needs to create even more intelligent and capable products.

Building a Nest

Interested? Whether you're building or renovating, smart home products (like those available from Nest) are worth investigating. In this section, we'll explain how your home could work using the technologies.

Intelligent temperature

Nest thermostats intelligently manage temperature in your home. They turn themselves down when you’re out, and back up when you return. Nest thermostats also include energy-saving features, with Nest claiming the units pay for themselves in less than two years.

With the Nest app, you can also change the temperature directly from your phone.

Smart surveillance

Nest cameras, available in both indoor and outdoor models, are more than just security cameras. Once installed, you can access the feed from your phone – even if you're not actually at home. If you're at work and want to check on the dog, you can simply log into one of the cameras and see a live feed of your house.

Nest Protect

A smart smoke and CO2 alarm/sensor, Nest Protect is an intelligent way of handling smoke detection. After installing the devices, they're able to alert you via a speaker (with a human voice) or your phone when they detect smoke or CO2. Say you're upstairs and dinner starts burning, the Nest Protect in the bedroom will alert you of what's going on. The same applies if you're out and the system detects a fire at home – Nest Protect would send you a phone notification.

The future of security

Nest Secure is perhaps the company's most exciting new product. It's a total rethinking of how we use alarms, and starts with the Nest Guard system, which includes the alarm, keypad and motion sensor.

Using Nest Tags, each member of the household can tag the Guard device when they enter or exit the home, arming or disarming the alarm. This can also be done via smartphone.

Nest Detect sensors look out for doors, windows and rooms. They're motion detectors that you install throughout the home, and send out alerts when a window or door is opened. You could be out shopping and receive a phone prompt that a door has been opened at home.

Welcome (Google) Home

The last piece of the puzzle, and one piece that’s possible thanks to Nest becoming a subsidiary of Alphabet, is Google Home integration. Google Home is smart home assistant that now links with Nest products, meaning you can control a number of Nest products using your voice. Getting hot in the living room? Simply call out to the Google Home unit to turn the temperature down.Find out more about Nest products and Google HomeNestGoogle Home

Story by: David Renwick